Chicken Terrine With Herbs Recipes

MY VERY FAVORITE CHICKEN TERRINE

Steps:

• Rinse whole chickens inside and out under cold water and blot dry. Remove wing tips and save for another use.
• With breast side down, using kitchen shears, cut skin down length of backbone. Keeping in one piece, being careful to avoid tearing it, remove skin from each chicken and set aside.
• Bone the chickens, cutting into 1/2 inch dice and place in a large mixing bowl. (An experienced chef can do this in less than an hour, but I cannot. You might want to save the bones for making stock).
• Roast hazelnuts in medium oven (350 degrees F) for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap in a kitchen towel. While still warm, rub them together in the towel to remove the dark outer skin. Do not be concerned if not all the dark husks come off. If you are using pistachio nuts, this step can be omitted.
• Meanwhile place garlic cloves and Half & Half in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer until garlic is tender, about 1/2 hour. Allow to cool then mash into paste. Since the Half & Half gets absorbed by the garlic, there is no need to strain it out. (You might be thinking that two heads of garlic is too much, but this step gives the garlic a beautifully mild flavor).
• Once hazelnuts and garlic paste have cooled, combine together with the basil chiffonade, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Then mix with the diced chicken, making sure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Spray a 6-cup terrine pan with cooking spray. Line terrine pan with reserved skins from chickens (outer side of skin against side of pan), draping it over the sides.
• Pack chicken mixture inside the skin-lined terrine pan, folding the skin over the top of the mixture, wrapping completely.
• Cover terrine either with its lid or wrap tightly in foil. Bake at 350 in a water bath until the internal temperature of the terrine reaches 160 degrees F., about an hour. (For the water bath, place terrine pan inside a large deep roasting pan and fill with enough boiling water to reach about half way up the sides of the terrine pan).
• Remove terrine from baking dish and pour off the water. Remove the foil (or lid) and place terrine back in roasting pan. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the terrine. Cover with plastic wrap or foil, then weight down with several heavy cans. Allow to chill in fridge overnight, while beautiful gelee forms and spills over into the pan.
• When ready to serve, slide a small spatula around the edges to loosen the terrine from the pan. Then unmold onto platter. Use a serrated knife for slicing. Garnish with the luscious aspic that forms and thyme sprigs.

TERRINE OF CHICKEN FLAVORED WITH PISTACHIO NUTS, CURRY, AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and grease a 5-by-12-inch porcelain terrine, or equivalent-sized rectangular baking dish, with the vegetable oil.
• Put the chicken breasts in the dish, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add chicken broth to cover, as well as the thyme and bay leaves. Cover the dish, and put in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the breasts are almost cooked through. Remove from the broth, reserving it, and carefully cut the breasts horizontally into three or four 1/2-inch-thick wide, flat scaloppini. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Strain the reserved chicken broth through a cotton kitchen towel; set aside 2 cups, and save the rest for another use.
• Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, and sauté the shallots until translucent. Then pour in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Put a layer of chicken slices in the bottom of the terrine or baking dish, cutting some slices into pieces to make an even layer. Sprinkle over the top a third of the shallots, a third of the pistachio nuts, a third of the hazelnuts, and 1 teaspoon of the curry powder. Make two more layers like that of the chicken, shallots, nuts, and curry, ending with a fourth layer of chicken.
• Mix the 2 cups reserved chicken broth with the gelatin. Stir to dissolve, about 2 minutes of stirring. Once dissolved, pour the broth over the layered chicken, up to 1/2 inch from the top of the terrine. Cover with a piece of parchment paper, and place weights on top of the parchment. Put the terrine in a larger baking dish, and pour about 4 cups boiling water all around, to make a bain-marie.
• Carefully set in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Cool, and refrigerate, with the weights in place, for 1 day, to allow the gelatin to set.
• When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the terrine to loosen it from the pan, then put a plate over the terrine and flip it over to unmold. Cut into 1/2-inch slices, and serve with slices of the apple on the side. I also like to serve it with lettuce salad tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette.

CHICKEN TERRINE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line loaf pan, 8 1/2x4 1/2 inches, with alumnium foil. Sprinkle parsley in bottom of pan.
• Remove fat from chicken. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken in food processor. Cover and process until coarsely ground. Add remaining ingredients except bell pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Mix chicken mixture and bell pepper. Spread in pan.
• Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour; remove foil. Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes longer or until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 180° F. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
• Refrigerate at least 3 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Invert onto serving platter. Remove pan and foil.